Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Refer \Re*fer"\ (r?*f?r"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Referred}
   (-f?rd); p. pr. & vb. n. {Referring}.] [F. r['e]f['e]rer, L.
   referre; pref. re- re- + ferre to bear. See {Bear} to carry.]
   1. To carry or send back. [Obs.] --Chaucer.

   2. Hence: To send or direct away; to send or direct
      elsewhere, as for treatment, aid, infirmation, decision,
      etc.; to make over, or pass over, to another; as, to refer
      a student to an author; to refer a beggar to an officer;
      to refer a bill to a committee; a court refers a matter of
      fact to a commissioner for investigation, or refers a
      question of law to a superior tribunal.

   3. To place in or under by a mental or rational process; to
      assign to, as a class, a cause, source, a motive, reason,
      or ground of explanation; as, he referred the phenomena to
      electrical disturbances.

   {To refer one's self}, to have recourse; to betake one's
      self; to make application; to appeal. [Obs.]

            I'll refer me to all things sense.    --Shak.

Refer \Re*fer"\, v. i.
   1. To have recourse; to apply; to appeal; to betake one's
      self; as, to refer to a dictionary.

            In suits . . . it is to refer to some friend of
            trust.                                --Bacon.

   2. To have relation or reference; to relate; to point; as,
      the figure refers to a footnote.

            Of those places that refer to the shutting and
            opening the abyss, I take notice of that in Job.
                                                  --Bp. Burnet.

   3. To carry the mind or throught; to direct attention; as,
      the preacher referrd to the late election.

   4. To direct inquiry for information or a quarantes of any
      kind, as in respect to one's integrity, capacity,
      pecuniary ability, and the like; as, I referred to his
      employer for the truth of his story.

   Syn: To allude; advert; suggest; appeal.

   Usage: {Refer}, {Allude}, {Advert}. We refer to a thing by
          specifically and distinctly introducing it into our
          discourse. We allude to it by introducing it
          indirectly or indefinitely, as by something
          collaterally allied to it. We advert to it by turning
          off somewhat abruptly to consider it more at large.
          Thus, Macaulay refers to the early condition of
          England at the opening of his history; he alludes to
          these statements from time to time; and adverts, in
          the progress of his work, to various circumstances of
          pecullar interest, on which for a time he dwells.
          ``But to do good is . . . that that Solomon chiefly
          refers to in the text.'' --Sharp. ``This, I doubt not,
          was that artificial structure here alluded to.'' --T.
          Burnet.

                Now to the universal whole advert: The earth
                regard as of that whole a part.   --Blackmore.

Source : WordNet®

refer
     v 1: make reference to; "His name was mentioned in connection
          with the invention" [syn: {mention}, {advert}, {bring up},
           {cite}, {name}]
     2: have to do with or be relevant to; "There were lots of
        questions referring to her talk"; "My remark pertained to
        your earlier comments" [syn: {pertain}, {relate}, {concern},
         {come to}, {bear on}, {touch}, {touch on}]
     3: think of, regard, or classify under a subsuming principle or
        with a general group or in relation to another; "This
        plant can be referred to a known species"
     4: send or direct for treatment, information, or a decision;
        "refer a patient to a specialist"; "refer a bill to a
        committee"
     5: seek information from; "You should consult the dictionary";
        "refer to your notes" [syn: {consult}, {look up}]
     6: have as a meaning; "`multi-' denotes `many' " [syn: {denote}]
     [also: {referring}, {referred}]